Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 16
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Gippsland Victoria
    Posts
    733

    Default Chainsaw sharpeners - alternate uses ?

    Hey,

    I've seen these things in various shops for a long time now $30ish upwards.

    https://www.aldi.com.au/en/special-b...w-sharpener-1/

    I've been wondering has anybody ever used them to sharpen anything else ?

    Are different wheels available ?

    Bill

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    Hi Bill,

    I couldn't find the sharpener you linked on the Aldi special buys list. However if it's the same one as I have and the same as mentioned in this thread:http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=101752

    Then I feel I cannot recommend them. I have one and never used it for fear of butchering my chains. They are flimsy and do not seem to give a good positive end stop or adjustment. I have a manual file with an angle guide and I also have a 12V portable sharpener which I use. Every 5 sharpens or so I get them done at the local saw shop.

    There is a lot of stuff from Aldi which is really good but unfortunately this is not one of them.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Gippsland Victoria
    Posts
    733

    Default

    Thanks Simon,

    Am not particularly interested in any one brand more the idea that with a few slight tweaks to the clamping mechanism they might be used to sharpen other things.

    Was wondering if anybody had ever tried doing this.

    And yes ................... its always best to use a tool to do what its designed for and nothing else.

    However this thought has been niggling at the back of my head for ages. Hence the post.

    Bill

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    9,088

    Default

    Didnt someone set one up for sharpening scrapers?

    Stuart

    to answer my own question... Yes they did
    http://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...42#post1736242
    http://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...99#post1480499

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Victoria, Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    5,080

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Stustoys View Post
    Didnt someone set one up for sharpening scrapers?

    Stuart

    to answer my own question... Yes they did
    http://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...42#post1736242
    http://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...99#post1480499

    Thanks Stuart, I was going to post that later this afternoon... I would have already, but I couldn't find the links..

    Ray

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    68
    Posts
    1,410

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by steamingbill View Post
    Hey,

    I've seen these things in various shops for a long time now $30ish upwards.

    https://www.aldi.com.au/en/special-b...w-sharpener-1/

    I've been wondering has anybody ever used them to sharpen anything else ?

    Are different wheels available ?

    Bill
    Bill, my wife bought me an Aldi one a few years back. Returned it the next day for a refund. I did not even care to try it out. It was so badly made and "flexi-plasticky-crappy" that I did not want to waste a chain on it. My expectations to how a sharp chain has to look are obviously way too high for such plastic tools. Nothing beats a file to sharpen chains. I just clamp the bar in the bench vise, click the chain brake, 4-5 strokes with the file on each tooth, release brake, advance chain by some 4 tooth, repeat over. Probably just as fast as any other means.

    Using that Aldi contraption to sharpen anything else, does not sound like a good idea. There is nothing it can do, that could not be done better with an angle grinder. Some Aldi tools are good value, most are not. The chain sharpener is definitely not.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Ballarat
    Age
    65
    Posts
    3,103

    Default

    Hi Bill,
    surprisingly, that little chainsaw sharpener is still going strong (as a carbide scraper sharpener) and has done a power of sharpening.

    Phil

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    A mate of mine just finished modifying one to sharpen bandsaw blades. I've put my order in already, I get Mk1 he ges Mk2
    Kryn

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    645

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Stustoys View Post
    Didnt someone set one up for sharpening scrapers?

    Stuart

    to answer my own question... Yes they did
    http://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...42#post1736242
    http://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...99#post1480499
    Ha, my thread. I wondered why I recollected one being used to sharpen tooling. I have been meaning to grab myself one since RayG posted his. Another project on the list..

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    4,779

    Default

    Hi Bill, I didn't give this sharpener a good wrap but I guess your thread was really about other uses. SO, I apologise for not addressing the actual question. In truth, I'm a big fan of modifying stuff to fit another (unintended) purpose. I had forgotten that people here had used them for other uses. So, from that POV why not!! Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Bellingen
    Posts
    278

    Default

    What about a circular saw blade sharpener? I have seen a few knocked up in youtube.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    near Warragul, Victoria
    Posts
    3,718

    Default chains

    When it comes to sharpening chainsaw chains, I get the best results with a simple round file, no guides involved. The professional tree fellers ( at least the ones I have seen ) generally don't bother with the fancy sharpening aids, they mostly just use a simple round file without any guides.

    The trick is: establish a 'hook' form on the tooth profile which many of the so called guides don't seem to be able do . The file needs to have around 10-15% of its diameter above the tooth horizontal edge.

    Might be I am using the wrong method but those basic guides marked with angles that hold the file are next to useless, when using one, I can't see what's going on under the guide, the guide hides everything.

    I am not pedantic about the tooth angles , around thirty degrees seems to work fine. I do try to keep the tooth lengths equal.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,438

    Default

    Hi Guys,

    I posted not too long ago about how I modified my Aldi chainsaw sharpener to sharpen TCT saw blades.

    24-06-2021-003.jpg 24-06-2021-001.JPG

    24-06-2021-004.jpg 24-06-2021-002.jpg

    I find that this sharpens chains just fine and with a small addition can be coerced into sharpening small circular saw blades like slitting saws.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  14. #14
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    7,182

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by morrisman View Post
    When it comes to sharpening chainsaw chains, I get the best results with a simple round file, no guides involved. The professional tree fellers ( at least the ones I have seen ) generally don't bother with the fancy sharpening aids, they mostly just use a simple round file without any guides.

    The trick is: establish a 'hook' form on the tooth profile which many of the so called guides don't seem to be able do . The file needs to have around 10-15% of its diameter above the tooth horizontal edge.

    Might be I am using the wrong method but those basic guides marked with angles that hold the file are next to useless, when using one, I can't see what's going on under the guide, the guide hides everything.

    I am not pedantic about the tooth angles , around thirty degrees seems to work fine. I do try to keep the tooth lengths equal.
    I can file without a guide but I've been using a file guide since 1965, yep I was 12 when my Dad, a pro tree feller showed me how and eventually I used to sharpen his saws for him. Now the reason I use one is because they come in different sizes, as do files, and using different size combinations allows the hook to be finessed. Typically I use a 7/32 holder and a 13/64 file. This means 1/64" more file pokes out above the the holder than using 13/64 file and produces a slightly reduced hook that makes the tooth edge last a bit longer when milling harder wood.

    The top pic shows a pro cutter profile and the lower one shows my typical cutters
    MalloffBobLchain2.jpg

    Chainsaw milling places much greater requirements on chain sharpening than cross cutting and it was only when I started chainsaw milling that I realised of equal importance to the cutter profile was the raker depth. Eventually I came up with what is called progressive raker depth setting where by the raker has to be progressively dropped more and more as the cutter wears.

    A nominal setting is the depth should be 1/10th of the gullet width. This means when a chain is new and has a typical gullet of 0.25" the raker depth should be 0.025" but when the chain is well used and the gullet may be even be 0.5" then the raker depth should be 0.05". This makes old chains cut like new

    I posted about this on the internet back in 2009 on the chainsaw milling forum of the Arborist website and hundreds of chainsaw users have posted or sent me PMs and emails telling me how much this has improved their cutting. Its in this thread https://www.arboristsite.com/threads...-tricks.93458/

    BTW if this method is used, then cutter length is not that important.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    near Warragul, Victoria
    Posts
    3,718

    Default Thread

    Bob Very useful tips there ! I think you are using 3/8 chain mostly ? I use .325 and 3/8 LP chains , I have a MS250 and a little MS170 . I found this thread helpful https://www.arboristsite.com/threads...rators.114624/


    Utube as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWwLEuY5Iao

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •